Draw On Yourself

There is an artist within each person, and everybody has the capacity to find creative genius in themselves.

- Annette Moser-Wellman

Ok, I want to tell you something. Listen. You can draw. Yes, I'm talking to you. I don't care what people have said to you or what you may have read on some design forum and I'm not trying to sound like Chef Gusteau, but yes - anyone can draw.

Now, let's take me for instance. If you look at my work and you think, 'Man, this guy is good. I bet he never makes a bad drawing.' Wrong. I make bad drawings all the time, and I'm always fixing the ones I've already done. For instance, the log cabin I use in my header was bugging me terribly. I hated it. It looked like a five year old drew it. And yes, even five-year-olds can draw, but I'm not five years old (lol).

So I spent some time refining it. Ah, now there's a word - refining. It’s akin to humility; less of you, more of the talent. I have found that talent is like a living thing. I am not in control of it and quite often it’s as Richard Bach once said in his preface to Illusions, “But once in a while there’s a great dynamite-burst of flying glass and brick and splinters through the front wall and somebody stalks over the rubble, seizes me by the throat and gently says, I will not let you go until you set me, in words, on paper.”

So for me it’s not exactly trying to refine the talent, per se, but to empty myself as a blank canvas and allow the talent to draw on me.

Now I tell you this so that you will know that even someone whose work you may consider good is still constantly learning and improving. Even the big names like Bert Monroy, Jack Davis, and David Nagel are still learning and improving their craft. If anyone ever tells you differently then just ignore that person - they obviously do not know what they're talking about. I am here to tell you that drawing, as with any other ability, can be learned. And even if you don't end up being a professional or doing it for other people you can at least do it for yourself.

Because, my dear visitor, drawing (or any creative endeavor) is a very healthy and stimulating thing to do. It keeps your mind sharp. It keeps you happy. And, best of all, it doesn't cost anything [grin]. Well, except maybe a couple bucks for a drawing pad and some pencils.

So my advice for you today is start drawing on yourself - your inner creative being. Try your hand at drawing something, or writing, or playing that instrument you always wanted to play. Don't let anyone discourage you, not even you ... just do it.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments.